updated 11:15 am EDT, Tue August 2, 2011

Canadian hint emerges of iPhone 5 release

Purportedly leaked documents from Canadian carrier Telus suggest the iPhone 5 might ship on October 1. The release date comes along with several, presumably for other products, that are all cast as concrete and not fillers. The choice would be a Saturday but isn't "unrealistic" given how busy phone stores are those days, BGR's tipster said.

The claim partly lines up with talk of a late September release for the iPhone 5 as well as one putting it in October, though none of them line up exactly. Apple has historically had every iPhone release on a Friday evening, suggesting either that the story is off or that Telus doesn't count an evening release as a full day.

Despite some claims in the story, the US has always been first for every iPhone launch and would either launch simultaneously with or ahead of Canada. The more northern country was in sync with US launches for the iPhone 3G and 3GS but was made to wait weeks for the iPhone 4.

A fall introduction could make simultaneous arrivals more likely. Apple is believed to have started production in July and could have two months' of supply ready for the debut.